Declan Rice set for key Arsenal role against PSG as Mikel Arteta plots Champions League comeback | OneFootball

Gunners midfielder has a big responsibility in Paris

Arsenal hope Declan Rice can lead a second-leg fightback against PSG on Wednesday

Getty Images

The midfielder has also chipped in with 10 assists, making this his best ever season in terms of attacking output.

After a slow start to the season, Rice is hitting top form and no more so is that the case than in the Champions League. He is Arsenal’s top scorer in the knockout phase, scoring three of their 14 goals.

Rice scored against Bournemouth on Saturday and was one of the few positives from Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat

AFP via Getty Images

Rice has scored four goals across the whole competition, with Bukayo Saka the only Arsenal player to better that tally.

Saka is also the only Arsenal player that can better Rice’s tally of six goals and assists combined in the Champions League this season.

In the first leg of the semi-final with Paris Saint-Germain last week, Rice looked shackled playing in a deeper role.

The 26-year-old was forced to do so in the absence of Thomas Partey, who was suspended but will back on Wednesday, and his influence diminished.

Against Real Madrid, especially at the Bernabeu, Rice was everywhere after being given the freedom to press in an advanced role and he was a big reason as to why Arsenal outrun their opponents by nearly 10km.

Rice will be restored to that role on Wednesday for the second leg in Paris and Saturday showed just how much more effective he is there.

His goal against Bournemouth came when he made a marauding forward and latched onto Martin Odegaard’s pass before rounding Bournemouth goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

It was a composed finish from Rice, who has transformed into a different player since his move to Arsenal.

Rice has been one of the players of the season

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Saturday was his 100th game for the Gunners and it was also his 15th goal for the club. In took Rice 245 games to reach the same number while at West Ham.

Rice has developed from a holding midfielder into a genuine attacking threat and his numbers support that.

In 100 games for Arsenal, he has 35 goals and assists combined, which is an impressive strike rate for a player who spent the first six months of his time in north London playing at the base of midfield.

The Arsenal fans joke that, even with Rice’s £100million fee, they got him half price - and given the player he is now, they may actually have a point.

“I think we brought a player that was already made, it was obvious we paid the money that we paid for that reason,” Arteta said last month.

“But that doesn’t mean that we’re going to put a ceiling on him because we believe that there was a lot of parts to his game to develop, and a lot of understanding about the game as well.

“Then it’s about him really believing and taking initiative to do it because he can do it.

“He needs to score more headers, he needs to score more goals, more tap-ins, he needs to score more goals outside the box, and he’s able to do that. So he needs to be adding those qualities because he’s got them in the locker.”

Rice’s slow start to the season was down to his involvement at Euro 2024 last summer, where he played more minutes and covered more ground than any other player as England reached the final.

A toe injury around November time disrupted him further, but now he is fully fit.

Arsenal will need Rice at his best in Paris as they look to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first leg.

He was the hero against Real Madrid in the last round and, if anyone is to step again, you would back him to.